The future of air travel in a new age of technology

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The future of air travel in a new age of
technology
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Introduction The aviation industry is not
untouched from the effects of the digital wave,
which has created a ripple effect across
industries and organizations. However, it is not
among the pioneers of the digital revolution.
Instead, it is simply reacting to the new wave of
technology and following the trends to stay
abreast with the demands and expectations of the
modern passengers. In the past few years,
low-cost carriers have become the preferred
choice for passengers. The travelers now expect a
completely personalized experience, right from
the booking stage till after they have completed
their journey. The aviation industry can leverage
Sentiment Analysis to determine their customers
needs and then formulate their customer strategy
accordingly. The International Air Transport
Association (IATA) has determined the
technologies and factors that will define how
aviation industry will shape up in its recent
report on Future of the Airline Industry 2035.
The report identified cybersecurity, robotics and
automation, 3D printing, new manufacturing
techniques, virtual reality, augmented reality,
IoT, big data, alternative fuels and energy
sources, new aircraft designs, alternative modes
of rapid transit, and geospatial technology to be
prominent in the future of the aviation sector.
There are five major drivers of the changing
aviation industry Society, Environment,
Politics, Economy, and Technology. While the
societal, environmental, political, and
economical factors are somewhat impossible to
control, technology is becoming the prime concern
for the aviation industry. Although, air travel
is still the preferred mode for long-distance
journeys, the tables might turn on the sector if
it fails to adapt and align with the latest
technologies.
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Let us try to get a picture of how the aviation
sector will look like in the coming years 1.
Artificial Intelligence A new market study
predicted a CAGR of 46.4 for AI in aviation
market by 2023. AI is being used to deliver a
personalized traveling experience to the
passengers in order to generate the maximum
customer satisfaction. Artificial intelligence is
personalizing, optimizing and up scaling the
digital interactions between airlines and
passengers. AI and ML applied on the social
sentiment of the passengers is helping airline
industry to curate their services as per the
needs of the passengers. 2. Big Data The shift
towards democratization of data is empowering the
sector to take strategic decisions backed by
facts. Coupled with AI and ML, big data is
helping the industry to predict and forecast
consumer behavior in order to fine tune their
strategy. As data is gaining the reputation of
the most valuable asset in the digital age, it is
only wise to proactively utilize data mining
techniques for developing a robust plan that has
high probabilities of succeeding. 3. Automation
As machines are becoming smarter with the latest
advancements in technology, pilotless planes can
soon become a reality. Hybrid RPA, integrated
with the cognition of AI, can make it feasible
for an aircraft to complete a journey without
manual intervention. Even today, planes complete
the major part of the flight on the auto-pilot
mode, with manual pilots taking over control only
during the time of takeoff and landing. However,
given the uncertainties and risks involved during
a flight, it is highly unlikely that a flight, in
the future, will not have any manual pilots on
board. The unpredictable nature of machines makes
them unreliable during an emergency, thus,
requiring a human pilot to man the plane and
complete the flight safely.

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Top 5 Reasons why Agile Testing Governance is
Needed

4. Workforce and skills Although we are moving
towards the future of advanced planes and
automated flights, it is not possible to
successfully realize the vision without bridging
the existing skill gap in the present workforce.
From pilots, employees, and engineers to
air-traffic controllers and safety inspectors,
everyone needs to upskill their capabilities in
order to stay relevant and competent in the
upcoming digital future of aviation. There will
be a lot of legal and moral changes involved to
oversee the transition from manual to automation.
With the prevalence of automation, some jobs in
the sector will be taken over but new positions
for the manual resources will be created as
well. 5. Biometrics Biometric technologies such
as facial recognition, fingerprint
authentication, and retinal scanning will become
the default way of verification. With the
integration of biometric systems for border
control, airport check-ins, on-boarding,
migration formalities, the entire verification
process will soon become paperless. This will
further extend to baggage claim process, allowing
passengers to keep real-time track of their
luggage. Read Full Blog at https//www.cigniti.
com/blog/aviation-future-technology/
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